Archives for March 2015

Storybook Theatre has just launched a new Indiegogo Campaign to create inflatable Monk Seals that will help educate children about the most endangered mammals on earth. The Endangered Marine Mammal Education Program includes the creation of the monk seal inflatables and the touring educational program that reach children across the state of Hawaii.

Please take a moment to view the campaign and consider supporting the creation of the monk seal inflatables and the education program. There are some great perks available including a chance to intern with Evelyn during her residency. Please help us spread the word about our campaign on facebook and other social media.

Master lei maker Kimo Crowell and artisan Ruby Kekahu will be the featured guests on April 11th in the classroom at the Storybook Theatre of Hawaii from 4 to 6 P.M. They will be talking about and demonstrating the making of pua melia (plumeria), la'i (ti leaf), and pua kalaunu (crown flower) lei. They will also demonstrate the making of a maile lei that a lucky person will receive at the end of the class.

Both Kimo and Ruby's families have lived in west Kauai for many, many generations, since before the time of Capt. Cook. When he was 8 years old, Crowell's kupuna began to teach him, as they were taught by their many preceding generations. He learned how to wili (weave or twist) lei and at that young age and his talent for the art immediately became apparent as he entered and won the Lei Day contests at the Waimea Library several times.

After that he realized that if he was going to go through the effort of making a lei, he would much rather have someone wear it instead of it sitting on a table being judged by someone who may or may not be qualified to do so. Kimo learned the definitive art of maile lei making from his father who learned from his father and so on and so forth all the way back to ka wa kahiko (ancient times).

He has made lei for the following kumu hula: Hiwa and Ipolani Vaughan, Manu Boyd, Sonny Ching, Robert Cazimero, Chinky Mahoe, Healani Youn and Maelia Loebenstein-Carter. His lei have been worn at the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, Kaua'i Mokihana Festival, the E o E Emalani I Alaka'i Festival, and the Prince Lot Hula Festival. They have also been worn by Merrie Monarch Judges and by Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominees.

Kimo shares, “In the Hawaiian view, if one is fortunate to acquire knowledge, the one has to do the thing and teach the thing. I do it because of that and to keep our culture alive. There are others who make lei maile, but from what I've seen, not all of them do it "the way". Ruby says, “I have a deep appreciation for our island and what it has to offer and the beauty that it possesses. I like being able to share what we have with others that feel the love from our aina. My gift is meeting sitting and laughing with others enjoying the now”.

Kimo and Ruby's presentation is made possible by funding to the Storybook Theatre of Hawaii from the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Kukulu Ola – Living Hawaiian Culture Program. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the relationship between the visitors and the Hawaiian community by presenting experiences and activities that are interesting and educational to people of all walks of life, and supportive of Hawaiian cultural practitioners, craftsmen, musicians, dancers, and other artists that preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture. The Storybook Theatre of Hawaii is located at 3814 Hanapepe Rd. Hanapepe HI 96816. For more information about this or other events call STH at (808)335-0712.Visit their website at http://www.storybook.org

Have you ever wanted to record your own or a friends music or story? Have you ever wanted to put together a professional sounding CD or digital audio download to sell or give to your friends and family? Now you can learn these skills locally and carry them with you throughout your whole life.

Professional Recording Artist/Technician, Russell ‘Rusty’ Faraldi will be the guest instructor for this course offering for Kauai residents from youth to seniors beginning the week of April 20, 2015 for four consecutive weeks.

“The course will be at a depth that young people and adults who have an interest in sound recording can grasp and put to use “, describes Rusty Faraldi, the instructor of the course, who has been a graduate of and lecturer at the Los Angeles Recording School in Hollywood. Mr. Faraldi is an accomplished audio engineer who’s post production audio film credits include ‘The Astray’ (2009) ‘Remarkable Power’ (2007) ‘The Main Attraction’ ( 2006) and numerous other sound designs, Foley, and final mix film credits dating back to to 2002.

The four week course will be offered on April 20th through May 15th, 2015 include lecture’s and laboratory work in Storybook Theatre’s recording rooms A, B, & C and other production facilities. The course will cover Microphone Theory I & II and Midi Theory I & II (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). Text for the course will be ‘Modern Recording Techniques’ 8th Edition by David Miles Huber and Robert E. Runstein.

“The course will be project oriented and each participant will leave the course with their own recording project in hand and a certificate of completion that will open doors of imagination and creativity for participants.”, Faraldi continues, “I am a teacher at heart and my work here on Kauai so far has shown me that young people here are eager to learn about digital recording and have lot’s of their own ideas, but this course will go deeply into the basics of recording theory and practice and hopefully, the participants will master both”.

Beloved Kauai resident and Hawaiian cultural specialist and, Sabra Kauka will be the first presenter in Storybook Theatre's 2015 'Hawaiian Treasures Heritage Center' lecture and demonstration series. Her 2 hour presentation will take place at Storybook Theatre on March 14th from 4 to 6 P.M.

Sabra has worked tirelessly for many years to restore and preserve of culturally significant sites. She is a master kapa maker, hula teacher, and educator currently teaching at Island School. She also coordinates the Kauai Dept. of Education Hawaiian Studies personnel.

Her presentation will focus on the making of kapa. From plant to fabric, kapa was traditionally made by women. Come and learn how this beautiful Hawaiian material is made and used today.